The-Signal.com's Daybreak: Feb. 8, 2009

Hello, Santa Clarita Valley! Welcome to The-Signal.com's Daybreak, your point of entry for the day, and a quick journey through the past, present and future. Let the adventure begin: First Word"I don't think our community is aware of how many things there are for kids to do instead of just going to the mall or staying at home and playing video games."- Kathy Gorlick, La Mesa school counselor (to read the full story, click here)

Today in HistoryToday is Sunday, Feb. 8, the 39th day of 2009. There are 326 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:On Feb. 8, 1968, three black college students were killed in a confrontation with highway patrolmen in Orangeburg, S.C., during a civil rights protest against a whites-only bowling alley.

Five years ago: President George W. Bush denied marching America into war under false pretenses and said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" the U.S.-led invasion was necessary because Saddam Hussein could have developed a nuclear weapon.

Watercooler talkMOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (AP) - A Michigan judge says he's learned a lesson about locking his car after a 16-year-old prisoner who escaped from a courthouse cell was found hiding in the vehicle's trunk.

The Macomb Daily reported the teen had vanished Friday after appearing in juvenile court in Mount Clemens on a probation violation.

Sheriff's deputies searched for about an hour until a security officer became suspicious when he saw a picture that had fallen to the ground outside judge's car.

A deputy checked the car and found the boy in the trunk.

Macomb County Circuit Judge Peter Maceroni says the teen likely used a button inside the unlocked car to open the trunk.

Daybreak will dawn again tomorrow morning on The-Signal.com. Right now, head back to our home page and check out the rest of today's local news, sports, features, weather, traffic info, videos, blogs, community calendar, "Ask the Expert" and more. The-Signal.com is your community online, every day.